Our Switch Pro wishlist

With the PS5 and the Xbox Series now out in the wild, Nintendo is rumoured to be fighting back against the competition with a 4K capable machine of its own. The Nintendo Switch Pro hasn't been announced at the time of writing, but word that it has an OLED screen and will support 4K visuals is making the rounds. With these rumours starting to gain traction, we've been excitedly pondering over some of the features and improvements we'd like to see on this new device. Here's a list of a few things we'd like to see when the Switch Pro inevitably launches:

More powerful core hardware

There are already a whole bunch of rumours doing the rounds about which type of screen the Nintendo Switch will offer, and what resolution it will bring to the table. But, considering the current Switch model has already had its time in the sun, we think it's time for a respectable upgrade. The new-gen consoles are making 4K/60fps gaming the new norm, which is precisely why we think the Switch Pro should offer upscaled 4K/30fps when docked and 1080p/30fps when in handheld to make up the difference.

If we were going all out, an option to choose a lower resolution in favour of 60fps would be an absolute cherry on top, but for the time being, let's focus on getting the resolution up to par with the other consoles.

In terms of the screen, a slightly larger OLED panel without the massively noticeable black border around the edges would be a huge upgrade and would give it the clarity the device absolutely craves. And, let's be brutally honest, while the touch screen of the Switch is pretty cool, we'd all prefer a device that prioritises resolution and performance over touch screen features that aren't even supported in a lot of games.

Similarly, it would be great to just give the Switch Pro a boost under the hood, as all these aforementioned features require computing power, and considering the current Switch runs a lot of its ports in much lower resolutions than on other platforms, these features will require a processor with much, much more processing power.

More durable Joy-Cons

The dreaded Joy-Con drift has affected many players and it's easily the most controversial thing to have happened to the Nintendo Switch. Once your Joy-Cons start to drift it can be frustrating and near impossible to play some titles, and the cost for replacement is a hefty one with a standard pair of Joy-Cons retailing for an eye watering £59.99. With the sheer backlash and many lawsuits that have followed the Joy-Con drift controversy, we're hoping that Nintendo has learned from its mistakes and won't overlook this design flaw again.

Better compatibility with wireless devices in handheld mode

One of the current most frustrating aspects about the Nintendo Switch is the lack of compatibility with wireless devices while in handheld. For the most part, wireless devices work great when docked, but the second you go portable, all hell breaks loose. It would be brilliant if we could rely on the same wireless gear we use when at home when we are out and about, as having to find the cash for a second pair of headphones to be able to game on the bus can be really inconvenient.

Increased internal storage

Let's be honest, the base internal storage for the Nintendo Switch is absolutely pitiful. At just 32GB, the Switch barely has the capability of storing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and if you're a serious gamer like us, you've likely had to splash out for a new microSD card. This is an issue that would clearly need addressing on the Switch Pro, as these more graphically intense titles will require more storage space. With this new device we are hoping for 128GB at a bare minimum for us to store new games, as well as the ones we have accumulated.

Improved battery life

For us, the most attractive thing about the Nintendo Switch is its portability factor. Being able to play the latest console games like Crash 4 and Doom Eternal on the go is a real plus, but that's not to say there aren't any issues stemming from its portability. The battery life on the Nintendo Switch could do with an improvement, as at present, we find it to last us around three to four hours. This isn't terrible, but it often means that our Switch isn't able to see us through to the end of those long flights and day trips out of the house.

Lighter design

We didn't notice how chunky the original Nintendo Switch felt until we were introduced to its much more slender cousin, the Switch Lite. During longer play sessions, the Switch can start to feel awfully heavy and on occasion we'd have to resort to using the stand located on its rear. It might be a tall order to ask for a more powerful machine that is also much more sleek and slender, but we feel this would certainly enhance the experience over longer durations.

4G Capabilities

Now, we understand that this is a little bit of a stretch, but a world where we can play Nintendo Switch titles online on the go sounds like a fantastic place to live. Bringing the capability to use 4G on the device would only elevate the portable, handheld features of the Switch, as being able to dive into a game of Apex Legends, or heading to a friend's island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons while on the train would only give us more reasons to actually leave the house.

Enhanced existing games

Something that we have enjoyed about the Xbox Series and the PS5 is that many developers have decided to go back and enhance their already released titles to take advantage of the newer hardware. This is something that we would love to see on the Nintendo Switch, as some existing firsty-party games already look stunning, despite the hardware limitations. We're sure that many would dash to pick up the Nintendo Switch Pro if it offered the chance to experience titles like Breath of the Wild and Luigi's Mansion 3 in 4K.